What’s new on Instagram?

IG Edits gets a new round of creative tools‍

Users can now:
• Add a secondary color to text/caption outlines
• Use lock screen widgets
• Plan content with storyboard sticky notes
• Apply new video templates

💡 What it means for you
Faster editing and more visual flexibility, right from your phone. If you’re using Edits for content production, this update gives you more tools to align with trends and polish content faster.

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Instagram limits hashtags to five per post or Reel‍

The platform claims fewer, more relevant hashtags lead to better performance.

💡 What it means for you
Your hashtag strategy needs to shift from quantity to quality. Use specific, niche hashtags that reflect actual content, no more dumping 20+ generics.

“Shop the Look” buttons appear on Reels‍

Some users are spotting shopping CTAs on organic Reels. Tapping them brings up items shown or similar products.

💡 What it means for you
This could turn passive viewers into shoppers without disrupting the user experience. Brands should lean into product-tagging and UGC with shoppable elements.

Instagram TV is back, kind of‍

A new Reels-focused TV app is being tested in the US on Amazon Fire TV devices. It enables Reels watch parties and curated content channels.

💡 What it means for you
Reels are moving into living rooms. If this sticks, there’s long-term potential for storytelling through serial or episodic short-form video optimized for group viewing.

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What’s new on Threads?

Spoiler effect badge rolls out‍

Posts with marked spoilers now get a visual badge.

💡 What it means for you
Great for community management and audience trust. Use this for launches, plot-driven content, or anything with surprise value.

AI-generated trend summaries may launch in EU‍

Threads is prepping AI-powered summaries of trending topics for European users.

💡 What it means for you
Faster social listening and more reactive content creation. A big plus for social media teams tracking conversations across multiple regions.

What’s new on TikTok?

2025 templates now live on mobile‍

TikTok’s seasonal and thematic templates are now available for easy mobile content creation.

💡 What it means for you
Use these templates to speed up production, especially for trends, campaigns, or social-first launches.

TikTok promotes its accessibility features‍

These include alt text, a screen reader, adjustable text size, dark mode, and the ability to remove photosensitive content.

💡 What it means for you
Start thinking inclusively by default. Accessibility options open up your content to more users, and aligning with these features can also boost algorithmic favor.

TikTok reportedly sold to US investor group‍

A new joint venture will oversee US operations. Oracle will reportedly manage the algorithm for US audiences.

💡 What it means for you
TikTok isn't going anywhere in the US. For now. But keep an eye on content and moderation shifts that could affect how branded content performs.

What’s new on YouTube?

Image posts are coming to Shorts‍

Still images created via the “Create” button may appear in the Shorts feed. YouTube is also testing adding music to them.

💡 What it means for you
Expect the lines between video and image content to blur even more. Strong visuals (not just motion) might start ranking in Shorts.

YouTube Create finally lands on iOS‍

The editing app includes automatic captions, copyright-safe audio, AI tools, stickers, filters, and flexible formats.

💡 What it means for you
Another all-in-one solution for content teams. If you’re juggling editing tools, this might simplify your workflow, especially for Shorts and mobile-first video.

What’s new on X?

A watch history tab is in the works‍

X is testing a “Seen” tab that tracks videos you’ve watched, along with UI changes that highlight friend replies.

💡 What it means for you
Finding past content could get easier, and that means your best-performing content might have a longer tail. It’s a small update, but helpful for retention.